Fowl play: SHC enters the fray over noisy neighbourhood chickens

Clifton residents in a flap over neighbour's chickens

KARACHI:

The Sindh High Court's constitutional bench has sought a report from the police within three weeks regarding a woman's petition against her neighbour who rears hens at home. The neighbour's cockerel greets the dawn with a loud 'cock-a-doodle-doo', much to the distress of the petitioner, besides the clucking of hens which is also on her nerves.

The matter has now raised the question of constitutional right to raise hens at homes in the limits of Cantonment Board Clifton. Though dogs, cats and parrots are popular pets in the upscale neighbourhood, hens remain a rarity.

Subsequently, the CBC lawyers were left searching through the bylaws in vain to find anti-hen clauses. Sindh High Court constitutional bench on Tuesday heard the woman's petition against keeping chickens at home.

CBC lawyer Jahangir Agha submitted a written response, arguing that the Cantonment Board Clifton has visited the said house several times and found no evidence of keeping hens or maintaining a zoo in the house. Neighbours have identified only three cats in the house.

The CBC does not have the authority to catch cats. The hens spared, the court has now sought a report from the police on taking action against the cats within three weeks.

The court had directed that rules and regulations be made regarding keeping chickens and birds at home. The petitioner took the position that the fundamental rights of citizens are being violated in the Clifton area.

Residents have been raising chickens in their homes without a license, creating noise that disturbs neighbours. The CBC should be ordered to take action against those raising chickens in the area, the petitioner argued.

Report on commercial use of heritage building sought

The constitution bench of the Sindh High Court has sought a report from the SBCA and other concerned institutions within two weeks on a petition against commercial activities in a residential building in the Burns Road area. A two-member constitution bench headed by Justice KK Agha heard a petition related to commercial activities in a residential building in Burns Road area.

The SBCA counsel submitted that the illegal shops were sealed but some persons themselves de-sealed them. When these shops were re-sealed, the seals were again broken and the shops were opened. Now cases are being registered against these elements.

The petitioner's counsel took the position that the court had ordered the SBCA to stop commercial activities in the residential building.